The Growing Climate Solutions Act successfully made its way through the Senate last week. Why is collaboration on behalf of farmers seemingly so notable?
| | | | | | | | | Growing Climate Solutions: A Case Study In Collaboration For Farmers? | | | Last week's news that the U.S. Senate had passed the Growing Climate Solutions Act should have been accompanied by brass bands and parades down Main Street -- at least based on the enthusiasm between the lines of media reports. For example, Politico's headline read: "In rare bipartisan move, Senate approves bill to help farmers profit on climate action."
It's a shame that bipartisanship on issues of tremendous importance to society is perceived as rare, particularly when it comes to proactive efforts to help farmers and ranchers take the next step in their regenerative agriculture journey. For those of us working with and championing farmers in regenerative agriculture, the good news is that this kind of collaboration - between farmers and conservationists of all political persuasions - happens day in and day out, out in the country. That's true no matter what happens on Capitol Hill, and it's cause for celebration and continuing to push forward. At the same time, the journalists are right. These are indeed unprecedented times, and that creates a window of opportunity. For example, last week, a number of Republican Party lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives announced the formation of the Conservative Climate Caucus to educate fellow lawmakers on "climate policies that align with the GOP and reduce carbon emissions," according to USA Today.
My hope - and I suspect yours, too - is that no matter where a person falls on the political spectrum, the winds of change mean there are ample opportunities to work together, across aisles and differences, to align on new paths for farmers and ranchers with regenerative agriculture. What trends are you observing that suggest the time is ready for climate-smart change? Send me a note at [email protected]. I'd love to hear your perspective.
Until next week, Nate Birt
Vice President
Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative
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| | | | | | | | Sustainable Produce Is About More Than Just In-The-Ground Practices | | | Shared by Kinsie Rayburn, conservation knowledge officer, Trust In Food: The produce and specialty crop value chain is changing, and that has implications for the sustainability of the entire segment. For example, in a 2018 online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. shoppers, 75% said they’d be more likely to switch to brands that provide more product information, according to the report from Food Marketing Institute and Label Insight. Here's how that push for traceability might affect produce sustainability leaders.
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| | | | | | | | Use This Water Quality Guide To Engage Your Sustainability Team, Farmers And Ranchers | | | Shared by Nate Birt, vice president, Trust In Food: With the national Drought Monitor showing extraordinary levels of dryness in the western and northeastern U.S., now is an important opportunity to engage farmers and ranchers in conversation about water quantity and quality. The new Water Quality Stewardship guide from America's Conservation Ag Movement makes a complex and often controversial subject accessible for sustainability professionals, their teams and the farmers and ranchers in their network. This guide, free to download in PDF format, includes fillable pages, callout boxes with links to helpful resources from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, and much more. Get your copy today.
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| | | | | | A Smart 3-Step Plan To Phase In Farm Technology Could Cut 70% Of Crop Emissions (via Anthropocene Magazine) | | Shared by Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president, Trust In Food: Like many folks, explaining what I do for a living to my parents can prove difficult. That's why I was so excited when my dad sent me this article on carbon and farming. It points out that there are many already available innovations, such as nitrogen-efficient crops and low-emissions tractors, that could support ag emissions reductions.
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| | These Farming Techniques Can Help Trap Carbon Dioxide In The Soil And Make Farmers An Extra Buck (via CNBC) | | Shared by Kinsie Rayburn, conservation knowledge officer, Trust In Food: In this video post, CNBC illustrates how - and why - more farmers are taking the plunge into the world of carbon markets, through the eyes of Maryland farmer Trey Hill.
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| | The Right Way To Spend Patient Capital For Food Reform (via GreenBiz) | | Shared by Nate Birt, vice president, Trust In Food: A new report on regenerative ag investing opportunities misses at least two key points - ROI and farmland access - critical to scaling this type of farming across the U.S., argues Theresa Lieb, food systems analyst at GreenBiz. Here's what this group of wealthy philanthropists should consider when planning investments in this high-growth segment of agriculture.
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